Dr. Schultz called out to the
defenders.

“So this is the little world
you vermin have built for yourselves.” He said mockingly and sent another
discharge toward the walls of the valley. “For years I have hunted you all.
Now at last you are within my grasp.” He looked at Justin and Jonathan. “I
know you both, A-9 and G-7. I have felt your power. I could sense the
growing threat that you posed to my kind. As long as you had access to the
Power, no human was safe. Tonight all this will come to an end and then once
this threat has been removed then I will bring peace to the world. But to show
that I am not a cruel man, I will not kill you, I will return you all to your
natural state and take you back to the city from which you were taken.” He
said calmly.

“Human scum! You will take
nothing from us! Tonight it is humanity that will come to an end!” Jenner
shouted and appeared behind him. Quickly and grotesquely Dr. Schultz’s head
turned 180 degrees to face Jenner.

“A-13, I have eagerly awaited
this moment for a long time. I have wanted revenge for your attack on my lab
and your attempt to kill me.” Dr. Schultz said, then he smirked.

“You have even brought Mercy
with you, I see. Tonight I will indeed get to tie up all my loose ends.” He
said with satisfaction and his body turned to match the direction his head was
facing. The stragglers from Jenner’s army that still remained on the battle
field quickly fled as the two mortal enemies faced each other. Looks of
intense hatred on their faces. Each was the embodiment of the other’s worst
fears.

Both began to glow. The
defenders fell back to the entrance. They all watched in amazement as great
arcs of power leaped back and forth between the two. Rose watched and waited,
it seemed to her that she was the only one present on either side that saw the
value of patients when using the Power. Everyone seemed intent on making a big
production of it and wearing themselves out very quickly. That is what she was
expecting to happen now. Jenner, you are right. I don’t have the power to
defeat you both on your terms, but that is not my way. ‘Courage of the heart
is very rare, the stone has a power when its there’ Nicodemus told me. In
fact courage, love, hate and fear can all bring the stone to life. That is why
you want it so desperately, Jenner. Control of the Power comes from within,
hate is what gives you both your powers. All I need to do is wait and strike
at whatever gives you focus and then I can take away the Power from both of
you. she thought. Using her empathy she gently probed the minds of the
two combatants. Their rage blocked her attempts to get inside their heads, but
she continued probing, waiting for a moment of weakness.

The enemies still stood facing
each other silently. The arcs of Power grew more powerful, striking the ground
and valley walls causing everything to shake. The power the two radiated was
now at almost blinding intensity.

Rose could feel the moment to
strike was drawing near. She turned to Jonathan with tears in her eyes.

“Jonathan, my love, I’m afraid
that I’ll have to leave you shortly.” She said sadly and hugged him, they were
quickly joined by a tearful Cynthia, who was to choked up for words.

“No, Rose don’t do it.”
Jonathan pleaded.

“Rose, let me try the stone.”
Justin asked hopefully.

“I’m sorry Justin, I’m the only
one experienced enough with it to do what must be done.” She replied. She
looked into Jonathan’s sad eyes.

“Jonathan. I have lived a life
that was longer and fuller than one of my kind could ever hope to have. I have
lived to see my children grow up and I have lived to see

you come home to us. It would
be selfish to ask for anything more. Jonathan, be a good father and a good
grandfather.” she said and looked to Cynthia.

“Sweet little Cynthia. I am so
proud of you. I am sorry that we ever doubted you.” She said. Cynthia just
smiled and hugged her mother. Rose looked to Justin.

“Dear Justin. You have been
such a blessing to the children and I, words cannot express my gratitude.” She
said. Justin knelt and hugged them all. After a short time she reluctantly
disengaged herself from their tight embrace.

“Please tell Teresa, Martin, Tim
and Jenny that I love them all so very much and when the baby is born let them
know that I loved them also.” She said sadly and approached the entrance. She
turned one last time to see their sad, tearful gazes and was very touched to
see that even Killian and Dante had tears in their eyes. She turned away
quickly and gazed at Jenner and Dr. Schultz.

I am not a hateful person,
but I hate you both. The two of you have brought nothing but sorrow, suffering
and fear to all those whom I love and now you are robbing me of what precious
little time I had left to be with them. I accept that stopping the two of you
will be the death of me and I have no desire to meet my maker with your blood
on my hands, but I swear to both of you that I will do whatever it takes to
guarantee that neither of you will ever be a threat to Thorn Valley or its
inhabitants ever again. She thought grimly and stepped out of the entrance
and waited. She didn’t have to wait long. The battle between the two
adversaries quickly grew to terrifying proportions and then it suddenly
stopped. Both combatants collapsed to the ground. Rose heard Justin shout.

“Killian, Dante come back!”
She saw Killian and Dante rush past her toward their respective fathers. She
could feel the strength of Jenner and Dr. Schultz was weak, but quickly they
were rallying their strength. She still didn’t have a way inside their minds
yet, their rage still to intense to break through, but when she saw Killian and
Dante going to their fathers. She instantly knew how she would stop this
menace. It seemed to her like destiny, that the fathers and sons should meet
like this. Destiny and Deliverance. She could sense many strong emotions from
them all. She watched as Jenner returned to his true size and astonishingly,
as Dante returned to his true size and form. The two enemies seemingly having
forgetting about the other as they were both confronted by the sons that they
had abandoned so long ago. Their rage faded in the presence of their sons,
their defenses fell. She grasped the stone, it blazed to life at her touch.
She was quickly engulfed by its glowing radiance, she felt overwhelmed by its
great power. The time had come, she knew what she had to do. She closed her
eyes and felt her awareness divide in two, one half rushed to Dante and the
other to Killian.

“Father.” Killian struggled to
say. It was a word he had not uttered since he was a small child. Jenner
gazed coldly at his son.

“Killian. I hope you have the
sense to abandon those doomed fools and chosen to join me and live.” He said.
What tiny flame of hope Killian had allowed to flicker within himself died
instantly. He looked sadly at his father.

“Did you know that I spent the
first half of my life wishing you were dead and the second half wishing you
were still alive? I see now that I have in fact wasted the second half of my
life. No, Jenner. I haven’t come to join you, I’ve come to kill you. You
have left me with no other choice. Thorn Valley must be saved.” He said and
raised the shotgun and pointed it at Jenner. If Jenner was shocked or alarmed
by this action he did not show it. He just maintained his evil smirk. An
instant later they were both engulfed by blinding white light.

“Mrs. Brisby!” Jenner cried out
in alarm. Rose grabbed Killian by the hand and they were instantly drawn into
Jenner.

“Dad!” Dante shouted as he
approached the enormous form of his father, laying on the ground. Dr.
Schultz’s eyes opened slowly and he looked at the tiny white mouse that had
called him ‘Dad’. His eyes opened wide in surprise, then narrowed in anger.

“Dante. How can you be here?
Why are you among them, why have you become one of them?” He demanded
angrily. Dr. Schultz rose to his feet and waved a hand over his son and
moments later Dante stood before him restored to his true human form. Dante
had kept his feelings about his father’s return bottled up tightly inside
himself since he had first heard about it in Justin’s office, but now there was
no need for restraint.

“How dare you ask me why I’m
here? You already know the answer. You made me one of them. I was just
another one of your lab animals. Why didn’t you just name me A-21 instead of
Dante? All the survivors of project Titan are here. We have banded together
for protection against the likes of you and Jenner. What we have created here
will not be destroyed by either of you.” Dante said and raised his sword. Dr.
Schultz looked at him with contempt.

“If you have chosen to be one
of them, so be it, then you will share their fate. Living in the sewers of the
city, eating garbage and struggling desperately to stay alive in the urban
jungle. No memory of who or what any of you once were.” Dr. Schultz said grimly
and waved a hand at Dante, returning him to his rodent form. He reached down
to try to grasp Dante, but he leaped out of the way, slashing Dr. Schultz’s
hand with his sword. They were instantly engulfed in blinding white light.
Dante became aware of Rose grabbing his hand and before Dr. Schultz could
react, they were both drawn inside him.

“Dante, What is this place?”
Rose asked. He looked at her. He was now in his human form again and she was
as large as he was. He looked around. It was night, only moonlight to
illuminate the scene. In the distance, they could see a small number of
crumbling buildings, surrounded by high barbed wire fences. They approached
cautiously. Near the gate were several very heavily armed guards with half a
dozen vicious German shepherds on leashes. Dante slowly approached. The
guards and dogs seemed completely unaware of their presence. They walked more
boldly now through the gate. The entire place reeked of death.

“Where are we?” Dante asked.

“We are in your father’s mind,
the only place I have the power to stop him. He is weakest here. If I can I
will take the Power from him here.” She replied. They walked slowly and
carefully through this terrible place. She could sense Dante’s horror and
revulsion at this place. She was not familiar with human history and could not
imagine what this place was or what it represented. But when she and Dante
encountered a red flag with a black cross on a white circle she felt Dante
shudder with horror. They both felt drawn to a large building. They went in
and made their way deep inside. In the middle of the building was an operating
table with a human body strapped to it, body and face were completely covered,
but the entire brain had been exposed. Operating on the brain was a man Dante
recognized from the picture he had found in his father’s footlocker. It was
his own grandfather. He also seemed unaware of their presence and was speaking
in German to someone in the shadows. Dante saw a small terrified child sitting
on a stool, helplessly watching these horrific experiments. Dante recognized
the child to be his father. Dante stepped between his father and his
grandfather. The child sat there and continued looking forward. The child’s
head had been shaved and there was a long scar on the side of his head,
identical to the one Dante had received as a child. Dante reached out and
grabbed the child by the shoulders and shook him.

“Snap out of it, dad!” Dante
shouted. Slowly, awareness seemed to come to the child’s vacant features.

“Dante?” The child whispered.

“Yes, its me.” He replied. The
child smiled for a few moments, then the terrified, helpless look returned to
his features.

“I have to stop them, some how.
They must not have the Power. Imagine what they will do to the world if they
have it.” the child said with panic in his voice.

“Dad, they didn’t get it. They
were beaten. The war is long over, they lost.”

“If not them then someone else
will try to get it. It must be me. I have to control it before anyone can use
it against mankind. If I can beat them to it, then I can stop them all, I can
make the world a safe place for everyone. No more war, no more hate.”

Suddenly the room they were in began
to fade. The child that sat on the stool began to age rapidly, in seconds the
child had grown to middle age, in his arms he held an infant and he now spoke
to the child he held.

“I have to be the first. Others
even now are trying to discover its secrets. I must put all other thoughts and
concerns aside. When I have triumphed, when mankind is safe, then I can make
it up to you and your mother. Then I’ll be the father and husband that you
and your mother truly deserve.” They suddenly found themselves standing around
a fresh grave. The name on the stone was ‘Mina Schultz’ Dr. Schultz stood
beside his wife’s grave, tears running down his face.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there
for you at the end, Mina, but I am getting so close. At last I’m nearing the
final stages of preparation. My project has been approved. Soon, so soon it
will all be over. I promise to take good care of Dante and hopefully one day
he can forgive me and understand that what I’m doing I’m doing for him.” He
said sadly. They suddenly found themselves standing in a laboratory. Two
humans were in the background working. Rose knew this place. She had never
set foot here, but she knew it all the same, from the mouths of the 28 she had
heard this place described so many times she knew it in an instant. This was
the infamous NIMH. She walked past the oblivious humans and examined the
cages. She remembered that Dr. Schultz had referred to Justin and Jonathan as
‘A-9 and G-7’ she approached the cages and peered inside. In the cage marked
A-9 she saw a brown rat that she recognized as Justin. In the cage next to his
she recognized Nicodemus. She quickly made her way to the cages that held the
mice. Inside cage G-7 she found Jonathan. Suddenly Dr. Schultz appeared
wearing a white lab coat.

“Results were better than
expected. A-10’s in particular. Without a doubt the animals in this lab are
the smartest non-human life forms on the planet. It would appear it is time to
take this to the next step.” Dr. Schultz said, a maniacal expression came over
his features. Everything blurred to darkness. Now Dr. Schultz stood before
them, his white lab coat was now spattered with blood. He had a deranged look
on his face. Dr. Schultz fell to his knees.

“What have I done? I cut up my
own son! I experimented on my own son! Please merciful God, kill me!” He
shouted in anguish and pounded his fists on the floor. Everything blurred
again and they found themselves back in the lab. This time the cages were
empty, their doors all ajar. Dr. Schultz stood staring down at the open
ventilator and the thread that was tied to the grill disappearing into the
shaft.

“They have escaped. Now I have
created a new threat to the human race. I must find them before they kill us
all.” he said gravely. Then things blurred again and they found themselves
standing in a cheap motel room. An older and very haggard Dr. Schultz sat on
the end of the bed with his head in his hands.

“They have stolen Mercy from
me. Now I can no longer track them. I have wasted to much time chasing after
them. They are smarter and more clever than I was willing to give them credit
for. I must forget about them for now. I must concentrate on my original
goal, now more than ever. They are more powerful than I had imagined. Mercy
had confirmed that. I must develop the powers more fully within myself. I
have delayed this to long. Now all energy must be put to that goal.” He
said.

“Dante, we must do something,
when he gets to the point in his mind when he gains the Power, he will regain
his focus and we will be powerless to stop him.” Rose said urgently. Dante
felt like he had awakened from a dream. Seemingly his mind had been trying to
shut out the intense emotions and terrible images he was witnessing. He didn’t
really understand what she meant, but from the tone in her voice it was
important that she be obeyed. He walked over to his father and pulled him to
his feet.

“Dad, you’ve got to stop this
madness. You are the greater threat to the human race than they are. Mrs.
Brisby, help me! Make him understand!” Dante shouted. He saw her eyes glow
brightly and her gaze locked with Dr. Schultz’s. Dante felt his own mind being
opened and the memories and emotions of the 28 began filling his father’s
mind. He saw his father’s mouth fall open and his expression turn to one of
complete horror, as he was forced to experience what they had seen and lived
through and she made him see and feel all that Dante had gone through in his
life. The loneliness, the unhappiness and the isolation. When it was over Dr.
Schultz staggered back and fell to the ground. Dante ran over to him, but Dr.
Schultz pushed him back and struggled to his feet.

“I have become what I despised
most. I have become the monster.” He looked to Dante with tears in his eyes.

“Dante...forgive me.” He said,
the lab appeared briefly around them and just as quickly it began breaking
apart and disintegrating, revealing a swirling vortex beyond them and slowly
coming out of the vortex was a tendril of darkness. He turned and faced the
vortex and then looked back at Dante and Rose.

“Leave quickly!” He shouted and
Rose could feel Dr. Schultz suddenly find his focus, but not one of hate, one
of concern. Dr. Schultz raised his hands and Dante and Rose felt themselves
thrown violently out of Dr. Schultz’s mind. Rose felt Dr. Schultz yield his
Power to her as they were expelled. It was nearly overwhelming as his Power
was added to her already great powers.

Dante suddenly became aware that
he was still a mouse and that he had been laying on the grass next to his
father’s head. He looked to his father, he appeared to be unconscious. Dante
looked around for Rose and saw her standing over near the entrance. The glow
form her body was impossible to look at directly. Dante turned to Jenner. He
could see that Killian lay unconscious by his father. He wondered if Rose was
doing the same thing with Killian and Jenner.

Rose and Killian felt lost in
the darkness of Jenner’s soul. Feelings of overwhelming evil and hate
assaulted them. They witnessed terrifying images of his madness.

“Where are we going?” Killian
asked nervously.

“To find something Justin told
me about.” She replied. They plunged deeper into the black and twisted mind
of Jenner. Both were horrified at the things that they saw and heard. They
dug through his life and witnessed the murders of Nicodemus and Sullivan. they
saw the creation of Jenner’s rouge colony and the pain and suffering of its
captives.

They pressed on through the
darkness, going back years.

“Go no further!” Jenner’s voice
commanded out of the darkness.

“We must.” Rose responded.
Then before her horrified eyes she saw images of the violent deaths that her
children and husband would suffer by Jenner’s hand if she continued. She felt
her own focus weaken.

“Go no further!” The voice
repeated, but there was a slight hint of desperation in the voice.

“I’m sorry, I really wish there
could have been another way.” Killian said sadly and grabbed Rose and drew her
onward into the darkness. That drew her back to her senses. Moments later she
found herself on a large barren plain. The sky above her was gray and
overcast. She saw a dark form in the distance, behind it a dark chasm with
terrible sounds coming from it. She quickly headed toward the dark form. Rose
felt deep sorrow flood over her as she approached the dark figure. She knew
that feeling all to well, she had experienced it herself, when she had lost
Jonathan. Rose suddenly realized she was now alone, Killian was nowhere to be
seen. She hesitantly approached the dark figure and saw that it was Jenner,
sobbing violently, clutching the body of his dead wife to his chest and at his
feet lay the small body of Killian as a child, his throat slit. Rose walked
past Jenner and glimpsed into the chasm. Below her was the enormous form of
Jenner, thrashing and writhing in the pit of madness, his face contorted with
hate and insanity, when he saw her he lashed out at her violently, but could
not reach her. She stumbled back from the edge. That was apparently the abyss
of madness Justin had mentioned. But it seemed that one small part of him had
not gone over the edge into madness. She felt many emotions standing there
watching him. She hated him. He had murdered Nicodemus in cold blood and had
murdered Sullivan and she had seen the madness in his eyes when he then tried
to murder her and Justin. But the Jenner she knew was at the bottom of the
abyss, this Jenner before her was the very last fragment of a Jenner that only
one woman had ever known. She reigned in her anger, she reminded herself that
she was facing a part of Jenner that had resisted the hate and evil and had
remained by his wife’s side all these years, unable or unwilling to let go of
the love he had for her.

“Jenner.” She said with a
gentleness that surprised her. He looked up in shock.

“Mrs. Brisby? Why have you come
here?” He asked weakly.

“You must not destroy Thorn
Valley.” She said.

“Why should I care for them? I
hate them. I despise them...I envy them. They are a constant reminder of what
I have lost.” He said with a flash of anger that alarmed Rose.

“All my life I have watched
others have joy, love and happiness. Even a lower animal like yourself have
had more joy and love in your short life than I have ever had. Yet whenever any
of those things were within my grasp they were always cruelly snatched away.
With Nell I actually believed that I had found all of those and for one brief
shining moment I had, but it only lasted a moment. Then Nell was taken away
from me. It was at that moment that I discovered that those things that I
craved were nothing more than cruel illusions. I realized that in life you
take what you can, when you can because there is nothing that really matters.”
He said with a mix of sadness and resentment. Mrs. Brisby was feeling a little
resentment herself.

“You selfish beast! How do you
think I felt when I lost Jonathan? Don’t you think I didn’t want to just lay
down and die from sorrow? But I knew I couldn’t do that. I had four very
important reasons that I couldn’t indulge my self-pity, their names were
Teresa, Martin, Timothy and Cynthia. I had to go on, if not for myself then
for them. I survived, not a day passed that I didn’t miss Jonathan terribly,
but I kept moving forward. The children helped to fill the void that had been
made in my heart and I did the best I could to fill the hole that Jonathan’s
death had left in theirs. Imagine how Killian must have felt when, never even
knowing his mother and having only you, you alone in all the world to care for
him, to have you accuse him of murdering his own mother and then nearly killing
him by slitting his throat. You know sorrow, but that sorrow could have been
made bearable if you could have thought of someone else rather than yourself.
Don’t you think that Killian misses her perhaps even more than you? You
knew that she loved you, you knew her face, the sound of her voice, her
embrace, but what did Killian have? All he could do was imagine those things
and all he had were the dreams of what might have been. But you took away from
him even what little he had to hold on to. I think it would have been less
cruel if you had killed him. You have left your son with nothing but the
terrible guilt of his mother’s death and feelings of deep unworthiness. He is
forever fighting, struggling to escape your sinister shadow.” Rose said angrily.
Her body shaking with emotion, tears running down her cheeks. Jenner’s face
contorted in agony.

“Yes. I know. Its all true.”
He sobbed.

“Father, I’m sorry that I killed
her.” A little boy’s voice said sadly. Jenner and Rose both looked up suddenly
to see Killian standing nearby. He was now just a child, the wound on his
throat still bleeding, he hesitantly walked toward his father. Jenner looked
away, unable to meet his son’s tearful gaze. Rose grew very angry.

“Jenner, you take that child in
your arms and tell him he’s forgiven or you’ll miss the one and only chance
you’ll ever have to be loved by anyone again.” She said with barely controlled
rage.

“What good will it do? I’m
doomed. I can no longer run from what I have done. I have no future. Won’t
it hurt him more not to be able to have only hate for me?” He replied.

“Jenner, you owe him anything
you can do to remove the terrible weight you have placed around his neck.
Apologize!” she shouted.

The creature in the pit thrashed
and roared violently. Jenner looked down at his wife. Then at his son. Then
back to his wife. He kissed her gently on the cheek and then placed her
reverently on the ground and folded her arms across her chest, then he turned
and swept Killian into his arms.

“Oh, Killian, don’t apologize,
it wasn’t your fault. All is forgiven. I never should have said what I did.
I never should have cut you. There are so many terrible things I should never
have done. I’m so sorry.” He sobbed.

“I’m sorry I said I wanted you
dead.” Killian sobbed. Jenner hugged his son tighter. Their tears were a mix
of joy and sorrow. The creature in the pit seemed to grow fainter the longer
Jenner held his son. Rose was truly amazed that she felt genuine love from
father to son. She hated the thought that it would soon end. She realized
that she would have to prove correct everything that Jenner had just told her.
He was soon going to be separated from his son. She could feel his focus
vanishing, along with the creature in the pit. It lurked there but it would be
dormant for now. She wrested his Power from him. She felt the power surge
into her. Sadly, she could feel her own natural strength waning. The strain
she was under was greater than any she had ever experienced before.

“Killian we must leave.”

“No!” He cried piteously.

“You must go. There is nothing
for you here and there is nothing for me out there.” Jenner said sadly.

“No!” Killian repeated.

“Mrs. Brisby. Take him,
please.” Jenner asked, she reached out for Killian but he resisted and
struggled against her.

“Before you go, may I ask you
one favor?” Jenner pleaded. He was the last person on earth she would want to
grant a favor, but she knew that they both had very little time left.

“What?” She asked with
annoyance.

“Can you share my memories of
Nell with Killian?”

Rose was so stunned by the
request that Killian was able to break out of her grasp and ran back to his
father. She smiled.

“I will grant you that.” She
said and placed one hand on Killian’s head and the other on Jenner’s head. She
saw both their mouths turn into wide smiles. When they had finished, he gently
pushed Killian away.

“Killian, please go with her.
You must go.”

“No, I don’t want to leave
you.” was Killian’s tearful reply.

“I wish we could be together.
But I’m afraid there can be no second chances for me.” Jenner said sadly. At
that moment Rose had a flash of inspiration. She instantly knew how Jenner and
Killian could be together, she knew how she could spare his life and he could
live without condemnation or judgment. But did she have the right to thwart
justice, the right to take it upon herself to pardon a guilty man, one who’s
guilt was far beyond any questioning. What she had done had indeed brought
about a fundamental change in Jenner, but it was to little, to late. He had
done to much evil to ever be forgiven. Death is all that awaited him. Her
strength was fading fast. But as she thought about it, the way to save Jenner
could give her what she so desperately wanted, if she used her powers on
herself, she could remain with her family and loved ones. She had always acted
so selflessly toward others, here she stood about to die and contained within
herself the power to save herself. Those thoughts quickly faded as she
observed Jenner and Killian. Her children had always had her to love and care
for them, and now when she was gone they would have Jonathan and soon they
would even have families of their own, but Killian had always been alone, he
had never really known his mother or father, now he had finally found his real
father and would soon lose him and he would again be alone in the world. She
made up her mind, her last act would be one of redemption. She placed her
hands on their heads again and she looked into their minds. In Jenner’s mind
she found the abnormality that caused his excessive evil. She corrected it and
then looked into Killian’s just in case it was something that could be passed
on. She found no such abnormality there. She took Killian’s hand and he alone
began to fade away.

“I love you, Killian!” He heard
his father shout before he was out of sight.

“I’m sorry, Killian, its the
best I can do. Its the only way the two of you can be together.” Rose said
just before he vanished entirely, she turned to Jenner.

“Know this Jenner, what I am
about to do, I do for Killian, not for you.” She said and told him what she
was planning. He looked amazed and so utterly happy.

“God bless you, Mrs. Brisby.”
He said with deep gratitude.

Killian woke suddenly to find
himself laying face down on the ground in the middle of the battle field. He
quickly jumped to his feet and looked around and there at his feet, lying amidst
a pile of ashes in the shape of Jenner’s body was a small infant rat. Dark
gray in color, big green eyes and a smile on his face. He slowly reached down,
picked up the child and held him up close. The baby giggled and grabbed
Killian’s nose. He hugged the baby close to his chest. Only then did he even
become aware of the great radiance behind him. He turned and to his amazement
he saw the form of Rose, now glowing white hot, still clutching the stone.

Rose struggled to contain the
tremendous energies that she had taken from her enemies. To control the energy
of the stone was normally an exhausting battle, but now it felt as though she
were trying to control the energy of three stones. She knew that her natural
strength was nearly gone. All she had to go on was the tainted energies she
had taken from her enemies. When she gave it up, she knew she would quickly
die.

“Then why give it up?” asked
Jenner’s voice at the back of her mind.

“Imagine the perfect world you
could build with your powers” Dr. Schultz’s voice said. She felt their
influence flow into her mind. She realized that at this moment she was the
most powerful being on the planet. She, a little, tired old field mouse could
now be a goddess. No one could look down their nose at her again, none would
dare to call her ‘lower creature’ ever again. There were none who could dare
oppose her. Even the human race would not be able to resist her will. Thorn
Valley was safe. How long before some other terrible threat comes to it? But
with me, then there is nothing that could stop us or harm us ever again. She
thought confidently. She looked at the defenders, who were staying well back
from her. She looked at them closely.

Jonathan, you lied to me for
so long. You kept me in the dark for so long. Now you just show up,
conveniently leaving the telling of the truth to others. How do I know this
latest story isn’t another one of your many lies? Where were you when I needed
you? Justin. You were always laying on the charm, always so kind, so
accommodating. You didn’t really love me. The only reason you treated me so
well was because you desired me. She thought bitterly. I don’t need
either of you anymore. Now I have the power to take what I want, when I want.

“No!” She shouted. That wasn’t
the way they were and she knew it. Even now as she struggled against her
emotions she could feel the deep love and concern that they all felt for her.

“Let us guide you. You don’t
have to die, your powers will make you immortal.” Jenner’s voice said. She
felt her will weakening.

“Mrs. Brisby.” A familiar,
comforting voice said. The dark voices in her head fell silent. She looked up
in astonishment to see the towering form of Nicodemus standing in front of her,
beside him stood a figure that took her a few moments to recognize. It was the
frightening form of the ‘evil’ Martin.

“Mom, don’t do it.” Martin
pleaded.

“Please, do not give in.
Release the Power. You cannot control it for much longer, soon you will give
in and then they will both have control of you, then all that you hold dear
will be destroyed.” Nicodemus said and in her mind’s eye she saw the image of
the monster that she would become if she gave into the darkness.

“Mom. He’s right, I couldn’t
control it either. I very nearly killed Tim and Jenny and many other. I know
you don’t want to hurt anyone, but you will, whether you want to or not.” He
said desperately. The dark voices in her head roared to life and became louder
and louder, both fighting for control of her mind. She collapsed to the
ground, clutching her head.

“I don’t want to die. I want to
stay here with those I love.” She said with tears in her eyes. She saw behind
Nicodemus and Martin the huge form of the Jenner from the pit appear and beside
him Dr. Schultz and both were coming toward her.

“Mrs. Brisby, you must decide
quickly. Who do you love more, yourself or others?” Nicodemus asked.

“Mom, please don’t become like
me.” Martin begged. She saw the evil figures quickly approaching, she looked
in the pleading eyes of Nicodemus and Martin. She remembered her promise to
Jenner and Dr. Schultz.

“I swear to both of you that I
will do whatever it takes to guarantee that neither of you will ever be a
threat to Thorn Valley or its inhabitants ever again.” She repeated to
herself. She stood and looked again at Nicodemus and Martin. They both smiled
at her, they knew she had made the right choice, then they faded from view,
leaving the two terrible, evil creatures racing toward her. She wiped her eyes
with the back of her hands and drew herself up to her full height, she looked
longingly toward her loved ones, then raised her arms to the sky. She screamed
in agony as the full power she contained was released skyward. It arced wildly
and with tremendous violence into the sky. She watched with relief the
destruction of the evil figures of Dr. Schultz and Jenner. She saw the cloud
cover break and sunshine begin to flood the valley. She knew Thorn Valley was
safe. Soon the last of the Power flowed out of her. The stone even grew dim.
She fell to the ground, she felt completely spent. Jonathan rushed over to her
and took her in his arms. Soon Justin and the others crowded around her.

“Rose, my sweet, delicate
flower.” He said in anguish.

“I’m sorry, Jonathan. Your
delicate Rose has wilted.” She said and smiled weakly. “I’m sorry I have to
go. I wish I could stay. Goodbye my dearest. I love you all.” She said
sadly, everything began growing dim.

“No, no more good-byes, no more
tears. Rose, my love. I lost you once, but never again.” Jonathan said with
determination, His eyes glowed bright white, he touched her cheek with his
right hand and with the left he grasped the stone. The stone literally flared
to life. The others watched in alarm as flames erupted from the stone. The
flames seemed to have no effect on Rose but Jonathan’s face contorted in pain
at the burning, but he didn’t let go.

Rose felt strange, she could
feel strength pouring into her body, but not just strength. It felt like
vitality, youth. She felt alive, more alive than she had felt in years. Her
vision began to grow stronger. She became aware of Jonathan’s embrace. She
could feel Jonathan’s Power mingling with her own. She looked into his
furiously glowing eyes. She suddenly felt her mind changing, expanding. She
gasped as she saw her fur turn from gray back to brown. The aching and soreness
of her age faded away.

Then the glowing in Jonathan’s
eyes faded to reveal their natural brown and the flames from the stone faded
away to nothing. He collapsed, clutching his burned hand.

“Jonathan!” She shouted and
leaped to her feet. The fact she could even do that amazed her.

“Help me up.” He said to those
around him. That shook them out of their stunned silence. They quickly
gathered around him and put him on his feet. Justin practically had to hold
him up. Rose rushed into his arms.

“Rose my love, now you are one
of us. Inside and out.” He said.

“Really?” she gasped, she
looked at herself, her legs were now longer and straighter and clumsy paws had
become highly articulate five fingered hands.

“Yes. Now we can be together
forever.” He replied and hugged her with his good hand.

Dante did everything he could to
rouse his father, but his tiny size made it all but impossible. He cried out
in frustration. He was feeling desperately weak from the fighting and his
injuries and still feeling overwhelmed by the things he had witnessed in his
father’s mind. He looked around for help, but his attention was drawn to where
the remnant of the enemy army had gathered. He overcame his exhaustion again,
his eyes again glowing bright white, he raised his sword and began running
toward the enemy. When the enemy saw him coming they cringed with fear. A
lone mouse in a white robe stepped before them.

“Death to the enemies of Thorn
Valley!” Dante shouted, the glow faded from his eyes and he stumbled and fell
on his face. Cynthia raced over to him and crouched defensively over his body,
bow drawn back with an arrow aimed at Mercy.

“Surrender!” Cynthia shouted.

“Yes, we surrender. Please, no
more killing, I beg you.” she pleaded.

“Everyone on the ground, hands
on the back of you heads.” Cynthia commanded. They all obeyed. She reached
down to Dante’s neck and was relieved to feel a pulse. A few moments later
Justin appeared with a large number of guards and surrounded the prisoners
while Dante was quickly carried off on a stretcher.

“President Justin, the enemy has
surrendered.” Cynthia said with satisfaction.

“Excellent work, Ranger
Brisby.” He said. Justin walked over to where Mercy lay on the ground. When
she saw his feet, she looked up. The look on his face was one of anger and
contempt.

“Ironic, isn’t it?” Is all he
said, then he turned and walked away. He wondered why they had not attempted
to make their escape up the trail on the cliff face, until he looked at the
trail and saw that about half way up a large gouge had been cut into the cliff
face cutting a wide gap in the path, most likely caused by one of the arcs of
energy from the earlier battle. Arthur is going to blow a gasket when he
sees that. Justin thought.

His thoughts were suddenly
interrupted when he heard a cry of alarm.

“Incoming!” Someone shouted.

Rose looked up and saw four
large black creatures flying out of the sun. The rats on the plain scattered
as they neared the ground. Then surprisingly, the four crashed to the ground
and tumbled to a stop.

“Mrs. B never fear, Jeremy and
family are here!” A familiar voice shouted. Rose began running toward them.
Jeremy and family jumped up and began swinging their wings back and forth
threateningly at the rats, Jeremy jumped around until he came face to face with
the skeleton of Dragon. He cried out in fright and fainted.

“Your too late, everything’s
over.” Rose called out. Jeremy’s wife Wanda and his sons Cecil and Winston
stopped flailing around and they all gathered around Jeremy, who lay flat on
his back. Rose stood by his head.

“Jeremy, are you all right?”
She asked with concern. He opened one eye.

“Hey! Teresa, great seeing you
again. Where’s your mom?” He asked.

“Jeremy. I’m not Teresa, I’m
Mrs. Brisby.” She replied. He jumped up in shock, then he leaned to get a
closer look. He gasped in astonishment.

“Mrs. B, you look so young and
so pretty and so... sparkly.” Jeremy said and eyed the stone very closely.
Wanda snorted and nudged him with her wing. He smiled and hugged his wife.

“I mean not as pretty as my
wife, of course” He said apologetically.

“What happened here Mrs.
Brisby? Are you and the kids all right?” Wanda asked with concern.

“Yes, were fine. An evil rat
and an evil human tried to take over Thorn Valley, but they have been
stopped.” Rose said with relief. Jeremy looked at the skeleton more closely.

“Well, it certainly looks like
things really ‘heated up’ here.”

“Yes, indeed. Dragon won’t be
bothering any of us ever again.” Rose said. Upon hearing Dragon’s name, all
the crows pulled back from the skeleton.

“Who gave Dragon the hot foot
over his entire body?” Jeremy asked.

“That would be me.” Jonathan
said. They all turned to see Justin, carrying Jonathan, Jonathan looked even
more exhausted than he had minutes before. Jeremy pointed to Justin.

“Hey, it looks like you’re Justin
time.” Jeremy said as he and his family practically fell over laughing.
Justin could only roll his eyes at that joke, the same one the crow used every
time he visited the valley. Rose went over to Jonathan and hugged him.

“Hey, Mrs. B, who’s your new
friend?”

“Jeremy. Let me introduce you
to Mr. B. Jonathan Brisby.” Jeremy swept them both up into his wings.

“Hey, Mr. B. I hope you know
your wife is the best friend a crow could have. She saved my life when Dragon
was going to eat me. Treat her right, she’s as good as gold...” He said,
again becoming distracted by the stone.

“Really, I’m touched that you
were all willing to come to our aid.” Rose said, covering the stone with her
hands.

“Well, we would have been here
sooner...” Cecil said and was interrupted by Winston.

“But we got lost.” He said
sheepishly.

“I guess its to late to help.”
Jeremy said.

“Actually there are two things
you could help us with. I have dealt with Dr. Schultz, now there is one last
thing that must be done to cover our tracks. If you are still willing, I need
a ride. And second, the enemy army is in retreat, can you tell us which way
they went?” Jonathan asked. They all saluted.

“Yes, sir. Mr. B.” Jeremy
said. A short time later, with Mr. and Mrs. Brisby securely tied to his back,
he took off and Wanda and the boys took off in search of the retreating enemy.

After the crows were gone Justin
noticed that Killian was still standing near the site where his father had
fallen. Thinking that he might be mourning, Justin walked over to him and
placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Killian, I’m sorry it had to
come to this.” Justin said comfortingly. Killian turned, he had tears in his
eyes but a smile on his face. Justin gasped when he saw the small child
Killian held in his arms.

“There’s nothing to be sorry
for, Justin. Thanks to Mrs. Brisby, I haven’t lost a father, I’ve gained a
son.” He said.